‘The Summit’ Episode 3: Which player’s adventure in New Zealand ended early?
In the third episode of CBS’s reality show “The Summit,” a battle of wits unfolds as the strategists begin to dominate the challenges.
This new series features a group of unfamiliar contestants who must unite to scale a mountain in New Zealand’s Southern Alps. Throughout their trek, they each carry a share of a $1 million prize, stored in backpacks as they progress through multiple checkpoint camps. The amount decreases with each elimination unless a player is voted off.
At these camps, contestants must decide who to eliminate. They encounter various challenges and face tough choices posed by “The Mountain Keeper.” If the remaining group cannot reach the summit within 14 days, everyone will leave empty-handed.
During Wednesday’s episode, two contestants were identified as weak links; however, the elimination came down to two of the strongest players. By the end of the episode, only 11 hikers remained, and the prize pot stood at $870,560. Here’s what transpired.
What choice did the Mountain Keeper present?
As the team tackled difficult terrain with steep slopes, a helicopter carrying the Mountain Keeper hovered overhead, dropping a note. The team was informed that their current pace was insufficient, and they were offered the option to airlift the two slowest members. However, the catch was that the group would forgo food for the day.
Amy Stephens, a 46-year-old bank manager from South Carolina, raised concerns about potential backlash for those chosen to skip the hike. She and Pati Arana, a 37-year-old barber from Southern California, ultimately decided to accept the offer, believing it would restore their energy for the next day.
The majority of the group voted in favor of allowing the duo to skip the trek, with the exception of Geoff Green, a 28-year-old neuroscientist from Georgia, and Punkin Jackson, a 33-year-old member of the Air Force from Columbus, who were eager to eat afterward.
Amy and Pati were airlifted to their next campsite, where they later set up a fire and prepared a camp for their companions’ return from the strenuous hike, who would be arriving hungry.
What challenge did the team face this week?
The contestants were required to climb an enormous swaying ladder.
“I can’t stand ladders, and this was the tallest one I’d ever seen,” remarked Jeannie Geyer, a 56-year-old grocery store worker from New York.
Amy and Pati chose to go first to prove themselves after taking a helicopter ride the previous day. The ladder proved especially intimidating for those afraid of heights.
Louisiana sales executive Nick Morgan was the last to attempt the climb and felt intimidated by the hovering Mountain Keeper. Nevertheless, he successfully ascended the ladder without any of the contestants opting to take the obstacle down like in the previous episode.
Who got eliminated from ‘The Summit’?
Geoff Green, the 28-year-old neuroscientist from Georgia, became the third player to be voted off “The Summit,” making him the fifth contestant overall to be eliminated.
When the group arrived at the checkpoint camp, they hurriedly discussed who to vote off. Dennis Cho, a 29-year-old trauma nurse from Indianapolis, pushed for Geoff’s elimination, claiming he posed a physical threat. Aware of Dennis’s targeting, Geoff attempted to sway the votes in his favor.
However, it was 27-year-old Becky Rawls, a construction worker from San Diego, who successfully convinced the group to eliminate Geoff after having led the voting strategy in the previous episode. In her confessionals, she emphasized the importance of removing some of the more aggressive competitors early on.
In a decisive 8-3 vote, the group opted to eliminate Geoff and seize the money he was carrying. Only his loyal supporters, Amy and Punkin, cast their votes for Dennis.
“I don’t understand why it’s so important to eliminate physical threats at this stage. Getting rid of me doesn’t necessarily make climbing easier,” Geoff lamented in his confessional. “They are operating out of fear.”
Who is hosting ‘The Summit’?
The reality series “The Summit” on CBS is hosted by New Zealand actor Manu Bennett.
Bennett shared that hosting allows him to reveal his true self, separating his real personality from the fictional roles he has embodied in works like “Spartacus,” “Arrow,” and “The Hobbit.”
“People might see me differently, like they do with Jeff Probst,” Bennett mentioned in a previous interview with YSL News. “My sister told me, ‘You’ve played so many characters, and it will be nice for people to see your own personality.’”
How to catch ‘The Summit’
You can catch the upcoming episode of “The Summit” on Wednesday, October 23, from 9:30 to 11 p.m. ET/PT on CBS, following “Survivor.”
Additionally, it’s available for streaming on Paramount+, both live and on-demand for SHOWTIME subscribers, or on-demand for Paramount+ Essential subscribers the day after it airs.